Running Track inside Marion Jones Sporting Complex Neglected
It is no secret that sporting facilities across the country are in dire need of significant repairs and upgrades. But, why is it that long-awaited renovations to the running track inside the Marion Jones Sporting Complex are yet to be realized? Two months after the current government took office; we toured the sporting facility to highlight the neglect of the previous administration. Three years later, while the facility remains in use on an almost weekly basis, certain features of the stadium have gotten worse. The battered running track is a prime example, brought to the fore during Saturday’s ATLIB Track and Field Championship. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Three years ago, News Five published an expose on the state of disrepair that the Marion Jones Sporting Complex was in. The People’s United Party was elected into government two months prior. Ambassador to Mexico, Oscar Arnold, had been appointed as the Director of the National Sports Council.
Oscar Arnold
Oscar Arnold, Former Director, National Sports Council (File: January 28th, 2023)
“We all chronicled the story of Marion Jones from when it began to when it was finished and I think there were different contractors, different phases to the project and it seems over the years a lot has fallen through the cracks, we just need to tell the story so that people understand what our job is and what we are up against.”
Three years later, after consecutive changes to the directorship of the National Sports Council, the stadium’s synthetic running track has gone from bad to worse. Holes of varying sizes are scattered across the track in every lane. Large splits along portions of the track pose great danger to athletes. The deteriorated condition was all too noticeable during Saturday’s ATLIB Track and Field Championship.
Kendall Morgan
Kendall Morgan, Track and Field Athlete
“Me personally I think it needs to fix because it can injure so many people. As you notice it has a lot of air and it is broken. So, if track shoes hit it you can fall and so I think they need to improve.”
To compete, Kendall Morgan and her peers spent the entire day racing over holes, avoiding cracks, and breaks, at every turn. The winner of the five kilometer race, Wilbert Sho, was required to run twelve laps around the neglected track.
Wilbert Sho
Wilbert Sho, Track and Field Athlete
“The damage on the track can affect your running as well, because you know the tension with your feet and it has to be a level and smooth track. Definitely, because for this distance, some runners tend to get dizzy and fatigued at the eight lap and some may start to get that blurry vision and if you have a damaged track or one that is out of place, then you can mistakenly trip.”
The track and field bleachers still remain without any shelter, leaving onlookers and athletes exposed to the elements. The runway used for jumping events also showed signs of deterioration, that athletes, like Kevin Jones, had to be mindful of while competing.
Kevin Jones
Kevin Jones, Track and Field Athlete
“Honestly I think that whole track can be improved, because if you look at it, behind us, piece of it are breaking and falling apart and here in Belize we have limited tracks to train for this event. In Corozal we have a little track at our college. We don’t really have anywhere else if we want to go and train.”
So, after three years, with no real repairs to show on the Marion Jones running track, was it all just for political mileage? The repeated response from government officials throughout the years has been that sports need more financing. In 2023, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Sports, Gilroy Usher, announced plans for investments in track and field through government’s sale of lottery. Those investments are yet to be made on the badly damaged Marion Jones running track.
Gilroy Usher
Gilroy Usher, Minister of State, Ministry of Sports (File: June 6th, 2023)
“As part of our commitment to sports, including track and field, the government is committed to using the proceeds from Boledo and lottery when that is start up to promote sports. That will be a concrete way to promote sports, because chairs and so are good, but we need better sporting facilities, better trainers and incentives for the youths when they excel.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
